July 11, 2005

Dear Students of the Class of 2009:

We are pleased to introduce you to one of Penn's finest academic traditions, the Penn Reading Project. Each year, Penn faculty members and incoming students begin the year by reading and discussing a text selected by current students and faculty. The book for the 2005 Penn Reading Project is Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography, chosen in honor of the tercentenary of Franklin's birth.

When he was seventeen, Franklin arrived in Philadelphia determined to reinvent himself and make his way in the world. By dint of his imagination, hard work, and public spirit, Franklin rose from humble beginnings and changed his world for the better. Throughout his legendary career as printer and publisher, author and educator, scientist and inventor, statesman and philanthropist - and, of course, founder of the University of Pennsylvania - Benjamin Franklin was the very embodiment of the American self-made man.

We invite you to begin your Penn career by retracing Franklin's steps. Inspired by Franklin's journey, you will be ready to acquire the knowledge, skills, and inclination to become a thoughtful, successful, and engaged citizen of your community, your nation, and the world.

On the morning of Sunday, September 4, 2005, you will attend a lecture on the Autobiography. Then in the afternoon, you will meet in a small group with your assigned discussion leader. The leader will expect that you have read the text in advance so you will be ready to participate in a lively discussion. Further details will be provided when you arrive on campus, or you may send an email to prp@pobox.upenn.edu for more information.

We hope you enjoy reading the book and discussing it with your classmates. Visit the Penn Reading Project website at www.upenn.edu/nso/prp for additional information on Benjamin Franklin, the Autobiography, how to find your lecture location, library resources, and a history of the Penn Reading Project.

We wish you a wonderful summer and look forward with great expectation to your arrival in the fall.